Johnson, Knaus extend contracts with Hendrick Motorsports

September 14, 2015 Greg Engle Main Page, NASCAR News Top Story, Top Stories 0

Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson have won six titles together.
Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson have won six titles together.
Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson have won six titles together.

One of the most successful driver-crew chief pairings in NASCAR history will continue to be a force on the track, at least for a few more years. Hendrick Motorsports announced Monday that driver Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus have signed contract extensions.

In addition the team announced that longtime sponsor Lowe’s Companies Inc. has also extended its relationship with Hendrick Motorsports after signing a two-year agreement that will continue its full-season primary sponsorship of the No. 48 NASCAR Sprint Cup team and six-time series champion Johnson in 2016 and 2017. Johnson’s contract extension with Hendrick is for the next two years, the extension for Knaus for the next three. Lowe’s has been Johnson’s primary sponsor for each of his 497 career Sprint Cup starts.

Johnson competed in his first full-time Sprint Cup season in 2002. Since then he has earned 74 victories, six titles and averaged a third-place (3.07) championship points finish. Crew chief Knaus has led the No. 48 team to at least three Sprint Cup wins in each of its 14 full seasons (2002-15). Johnson’s six championships trail only first-ballot NASCAR Hall of Fame drivers Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty, who each posted seven. MORE>>>

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Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community. Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.